Moves to split a local government ward in East Cleveland have come under fire.

Independent councillors Steve Kay and Bruce Mackenzie are opposing the view of the majority Labour group on Redcar and Cleveland Council that the Lockwood and Skinningrove Ward should be split.

The Labour group is suggesting Skinningrove and Carlin How should be included in the Brotton Ward.

The Local Government Commission is currently undertaking a review of wards on Teesside.

Cllrs Kay and Mackenzie are urging residents in their ward to write to the Commission opposing the proposal to link Carlin How and Skinningrove with Brotton.

They are also concerned the possibility of merging Charltons, Margrove Park and Slapewath with a Guisborough Ward might be considered.

They said the Lockwood and Skinningrove Ward had worked well since 1991.

"It is a collection of small, ex-ironstone mining villages of roughly the same size. Putting any of them in with Brotton or Guisborough could see them being marginalised."

Dave Walsh, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, said there was a logical relationship between Skinningrove and Carlin How and Brotton.

It would produce a ward with the ideal electorate number for a ward with three councillors.

"Carlin How and Skinningrove are connected to Brotton by the main A174 road, while their connection with the rest of the existing ward is via an unclassified country lane to villages three or four miles away," said Cllr Walsh. "It is not a logical ward in the way it is currently set up."